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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26719837">The Witch in Training and the Silver-Handed Cyborg.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/93PenguinImperator/pseuds/93PenguinImperator'>93PenguinImperator</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Owl House (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aliens, Gen, Magic, Naga, Robots</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:07:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,401</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26719837</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/93PenguinImperator/pseuds/93PenguinImperator</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Luz not only encounters another bit of weirdness in her summer. But meets a long lost friend from her childhood... and aliens.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luz Noceda whistled happily to herself as she returned to the Owl House after a long and eventful school day. "I'm home... and nobody is coming to see me." She said to herself. "Eda? King? Lilith?... wait does Lilith even live here? It's been one of those days."</p><p>Then, King, the small demon met up with her. "Oh... hi Luz."</p><p>"King? Where is everyone?" Luz asked.</p><p>"I... don't know," King said.</p><p>"King, I've had a really long day, a manticore was running amok and- look the point is I'm not in the mood for the runaround," Luz said in frustration.</p><p>King groaned. "Okay, but only because I can't think of any cover stories." He said. "See... shortly after you left something weird happened."</p><p>"Weird normal, or 'weird' weird?" Luz asked.</p><p>"That depends... what does an eight-legged horse crashing through the ceiling count as?" King asked. "Cause I'll tell you upfront, that's never happened... closest I can think of are unicorns doing that."</p><p>"And where is this horse?" Luz asked, she then heard some sort of bestial snoring noise coming from underneath the living room rug and in turn a massive bulge under it. "How did I not notice that!?"</p><p>"I don't know, I honestly thought you'd ask about the lump under the rug first," King said.</p><p>Luz removed the rug, and indeed there was a giant eight-legged horse sleeping, it then woke up and stood up. "Whoa! Hey... easy there big guy." Luz then pulled out a sticky note and drew a rune on it. She then activated it, and her eyes glowed a shade of green. "Now, this rune allows me to understand animals... who are you and why are you here?"</p><p><em>"I am known by many names... but my rider dubbed Odin. I believe because of my blind eye."</em> The great horse said telepathically and showed the scarred side of his face.</p><p>"Why did you crash through the roof?... and how?" Luz asked. "I probably should have asked that backward."</p><p><em>"Good questions all the same. To put it simply, my rider was wounded. I panicked and took him through the Empyrean to find aid. But, in his delirium, the only direction he could give me was a face... your face."</em> Odin explained.</p><p>"What? But I don't have any friends back home, the only people that would even care about me was my mom... have you met her?" Luz asked in concern.</p><p><em>"No, I was told that he would be cared for upstairs... unfortunately the master of the house left to get supplies to aid in healing. And left me alone with this delusion fur bag... and a sentient house who was only silenced after I kicked him in the face!"</em> Odin said.</p><p>"I was wondering why Hooty seemed quiet- wait where is this guy?" Luz asked.</p><p>"He's in Eda's room... weird guy, he's got this arm that's like... silver," King said, flexing his right arm for reference. "And he kept rambling about some kind of assassin before he lost consciousness."</p><p>Luz ran upstairs towards Eda's room, curious as to who this mysterious rider could be. When she got there, she heard snoring from underneath a blanket. Luz quietly crept up, figuring that whoever was there didn't want to be disturbed. When she got close enough, she tore off the blanket.</p><p>He was Human, like her, even close in age to her. He was wearing some kind of advanced looking armor which was covered in various signs of damage, and as King said one of his arms was colored silver. But it was the face and his Albino skin that caught her attention. "Aeden!?"</p><p>Aeden stirred. "Five... five more minutes mom..." he muttered. Luz then threw civility to the wind and shook him awake. "Alright, I'm up! I'm... up." Aeden said as he opened his ruby-red eyes, recognizing Luz. "Luz... Luz Noceda."</p><p>"Aeden Airgid..." Luz said, she then hugged the young man. Aeden awkwardly returned the gesture. "It's been over ten years! How've you been? Also, why is your arm like that and why do you have an eight-legged horse?"</p><p>"Been living, obviously," Aeden said plainly. "As for the arm and the Sleipnir... look that isn't important right now. Luz, you need to know that you're in mortal danger!"</p><p>Before Aeden could explain or Luz comment about it, a figure broke through a window. It looked identical to Luz, except it wore a skintight catsuit that covered its entire body, and its eyes glowed a baleful red. "Target acquired." The doppelganger said in an emotionless mechanical voice.</p><p>Luz screamed in surprise. "You won't have her!" Aeden's silver arm then shifted shape, and from it, he fired a series of plasma shots at the invader, one of them hitting and revealing a metallic skeleton.</p><p>Then King entered the room. "I heard screaming! Don't tell me you were going to torture our prisoner without me." Then Robo-Luz grabbed the delusional demon by the scruff of his neck.</p><p>It then pulled a bladed weapon on King's throat. "Surrender my gene-sire, or this lifeform dies."</p><p>"Aeden... why is there a robot double of me?" Luz asked recognizing what this duplicate was.</p><p>Aeden didn't say anything as he shifted his arm again, recovering King by using his hand as a grappling hook. "Hey watch the fur!" King complained.</p><p>"Luz, we need to run, now!" Aeden said, he then tried to run. But his injuries were still present as he threw Robo-Luz aside, and fell down the stairs. "Don't worry... the armor broke my fall." He said when Luz joined him, he then helped Luz onto Odin and mounted up. "HIYA!"</p><p>"Wait! We're still inside the house!" Luz said, then a portal opened in front of Odin and he charged through it. "What?" She said in surprise when she saw that they were now in some kind of parallel dimension.</p><p>"Just keep your hands on Odin. As for what that was... I honestly don't know what exactly it was. My crew and I found it and other robots like it in an abandoned K'vas depot. There infiltration robots that can copy themselves to look like anyone who's DNA they've analyzed."</p><p>Luz then put two and two together. "Wait... you actually kept that hair?"</p><p>"I promised that I'd keep it! For crying out loud we were little kids back then!" Aeden said as another portal opened, this one led to some manner of high tech facility. "Anyway, that bot is programmed to hunt you down, and take over your life. Of course, the war that thing was created for has been over for thousands of-"</p><p>"Whoa!" Luz looked out a window at the vast expanse of space, awed by the nebula outside.</p><p>"Yeah... the universe is bright and full of wonders... but also dark and full of terrors," Aeden said. "And that robot is the latest my crew and I have run into in terms of 'terrors'."</p><p>"Okay get me up to speed on what's going on with you?" Luz asked.</p><p>"Ladies first... oh come on don't look at me like that," Aeden said as Luz pouted. "You were in some kind of magical house in the middle of the woods... I think I'm owed an explanation."</p><p>Luz thought for a moment. "Oh, what the heck? I've been wanting to tell my story since I got to the Boiling Isles." She then went into detail about her adventures with Eda the Owl Lady, King, and her classmates from Hexside.</p><p>"And you survived tangling with an Emperor with, what I'm guessing are eldritch powers... and walked away," Aeden said, clearly impressed.</p><p>"Yeah... but now I'm more or less stuck on the Boiling Isles, Eda can't teach me any magic anymore and-" Luz then gasped in shock.</p><p>"You just remembered the killer robot didn't you?" Aeden said, Luz just nodded speechlessly. "Just calm down, from what I heard these things only kill there gene-sire, and anyone who serves as a direct obstacle to that." He said, trying to be reassuring to the girl. "It can't follow you back as it is..." He then hugged her. "Easy... settle down. The Robo-Luz cannot get us. Just take deep breaths."</p><p>Luz did so, feeling slightly better about the situation. "Okay... now. What have you been doing? Why are we in space? Whose this crew? Why do you have a cyborg arm? And what the heck is that?" She asked, pointing at some kind of ruined station out of the window.</p><p>"That was the K'vas armory that held the Genebots we found in the first place... we spent the better part of a day just trying to fight our way out, through hordes of those unholy pieces of archeotech." Aeden explained. "Apparently B'laas and Imp figured that blasting the thing out of the void was the best idea... granted one apparently did escape but it was the only one that did-"</p><p>"Aeden my boy!" The two teens then turned to see a large dinosaur-like alien. "Thank the Old Ones that you've returned!" He said in a booming voice as he took Aeden in for a hug. "When Odin ran off we feared the worst!"</p><p>Luz looked baffled by this site. "Yeah... Odin took me to somewhere I could recover... and remember that talk we had before B'laas?"</p><p>"Oh! I'm sorry." B'laas said as he stopped hugging. He then stiffed the air and reacted with confused disgust. "What smells like rotting flesh and owl droppings? Is Clawthorne around here?"</p><p>"Uh... no. I'm Luz." Luz said awkwardly, now wondering if Eda somehow knew this alien.</p><p>B'laas then took a closer look at Luz. "Your so small I didn't even notice you until you spoke up." He then inhaled Luz's smell. "Oh!" B'laas said with disgust. "That is definitely Eda's musk!... Odin took you to the Boiling Isles? Not even the St. Nevs Space Hospital?"</p><p>"Wait... did you and Eda date?" Luz asked B'laas nodded. Luz then let out an ear-piercing squeal of joy, which was only interrupted when what looked like a four-flippered African Penguin barged into the room.</p><p>"What is the meaning of this infernaw wacket!" The alien semi-aquatic arctic bird demanded. "I fhought I made it cwear that my nap wouwd not be intewwupt-" This birds ranting was cut off as Luz ran over and scooped up the small being.</p><p>"Uh... Imp. This is Luz. Luz, Imp." Aeden said awkwardly. "Sorry about this Captain, but-"</p><p>"Spawe me youw excuses!" Imp said crossly. "As for you young wady... we have all had an owdeal in the last forwty-eight houws. I'm tiwed, and I want to wecover some sembwance of my sanity. So I'm onwy going to ask nicewy this one time, and one time onwy." Imp then displayed a pair of doe eyes. "Wiww you pwease wet me go?"</p><p>Luz seemed to be in a hypnotic trance. "Must... obey... penguin." She said in a zombie-like tone.</p><p>"Imp! We've talked about using your powers like that!" B'laas scrolled.</p><p>"It was a moment of weakness and I have sweep depwivation. Cut me some swack." Imp then left the room.</p><p>Luz then returned to waking consciousness. "That was our Captain. Yeah, she's a bit prickly but once you get to know her better she'll surprise you."</p><p>"Was I just hypnotized by a four-armed alien penguin?" Luz asked. "I'm not judging I'm just asking."</p><p>Aeden ignored the question. "Look, B'laas. One of the Genebots somehow followed Odin through the Empyrean to someplace called the Boiling Isles. And to make matters worse it took that lock of hair that I keep... and turned itself into Luz."</p><p>"I see..." B'laas said with concern. "I promised I would never return to that strange place. But a renegade Genebot demands that we go. Ur-Asha, set a course for-"</p><p>"Negative, you are not the Captain." A computerized voice said.</p><p>"Well as co-Captain, and head of ship security I'm ordering you to-"</p><p>"Negative, you are not the Captain." The voice repeated.</p><p>"Yes, that is the ship's AI, she's a bit testy but so far she's kept us alive," Aeden said. "How about we catch up in my room?" He then led Luz to his quarters on the ship. When they got there, he got to telling his story. After moving, he had a hard time making friends. In large part because of his Albinism, but also because he had developed a temper that made it difficult for him to really relate to people.</p><p>Then, roughly a month ago his father, an astronomer brought him to his observatory. There he learned that his dad made a deal with B'laas and Imp, in exchange for helping him with his research he'd pay them... but when he couldn't find anything of value that either of them could use to pay them with. B'laas invoked something called the 'Law of Surprise'. And said that he'd accept payment in the form of 'the first thing that comes to greet you'. Which in this instance was Aeden, who enthusiastically greeted his dad unaware of the bargain.</p><p>While nobody really wanted to take on a troubled fifteen-year-old boy, Aeden ultimately agreed to the trade. "Wow... that's kind of twisted," Luz commented</p><p>"It's only till the Summer ends... but yeah explaining away the silver cyborg arm is going to be difficult." Aeden then continued explaining his adventures. Their first adventure had them breaking into a cybernetics lab to recover some technology for a crime lord. During the chaos, Aeden lost his arm. B'laas then used the very arm they had been hired to steal in order to heal him, Aeden also got his hands on his armor while they were escaping, which proved to be the deciding factor in there escape. With Aeden using his newfound cybernetic arm to blast there way out, with the armor protecting him from the worst of what they encountered.</p><p>After that, they had numerous other adventures. Meeting B'laas's brother and his squire. Finding a planet inhabited by robot animals that turned out to be part of some kind of terraforming system after the world suffered from a devastating ecological collapse. Hunting a Void Kraken that was threatening trade routes. Managing to keep one step ahead of the crime lord who hired them for the botched tech heist to recover Aeden's new arm and her bounty hunters.</p><p>"Wow... that sounds eerily similar to what I've done," Luz said. "Well, not all of it... no magic for one thing."</p><p>"Trust me Luz when I say that magic is a key component in how their technology works, more specifically that's how the FTL Drives work," Aeden said. "Some kind of crystals that harness magic... I'll be honest I don't understand it in the least but that doesn't stop it from being awesome."</p><p>Luz's curiosity was piqued at this mention of magic being used as a source for faster than light-speed travel. The ship then rocked, as Ur-Asha announced that they were now going at FTL speeds. "So... there's magic out here?"</p><p>"Yep. Magic is pretty much the only way you can travel to other worlds." Aeden said, not noticing the obvious look of curiosity on Luz's face. "Fact is virtually every species in the galaxy that has ever developed FTL capable ships first had to attain magic. The K'vas, and B'laas and Imp's peoples are more or less, kind of the experts on magic, technology, and how to mesh the two together outside of FTL travel  without causing major disasters."</p><p>"Would they also... for example-"</p><p>"Know how to restore magic to two ladies who lost there's and undo curses? You did make a big deal about that at the end of your story." Aeden said.</p><p>Luz blushed in embarrassment. "I can only confirm that it's something I'd be interested in."</p><p>"No need to be sheepish about it," Aeden said. "I'll bring it up with Imp and B'laas... or they'll learn about it, I don't know what they'll do, to be honest. Most likely argue about the entire thing... I need a nap." He then went to his bed. "No doubt your tired too, there's a sleeping bag around here somewhere."</p><p>"Actually, I have homework to do. So... I'll be seeing you when we get to the Boiling Isles." Luz said as she left the room to find somewhere to do her homework.</p><p>But first, she pulled out a book. A diary she made since she arrived on the Boiling Isles.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Diary,... things have only gotten crazier since the Manticore Incident, yes. Something those exchange students from the mainland did by accident has been outdone in less than a day...</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amity Blight was making her way to the Owl House, with a pie in her hands. "I just have to say again, thank you for helping me with this." She said to the girl next to her. This girl was a N'ga, a species native to the mainland from the Boiling Isles that possessed four arms, a relatively humanoid torso, and were snakes from the waist down.</p><p>"Oh, it wasn't a bother little Amity." The lilted voiced N'ga said. "You wanted to make a pastry for someone who had gone for an ordeal. And despite your wayward pride in the matter, you were clearly as inept at bakin' as my brothers are at tap dancing."</p><p>"That implies that I can't better Azaral." Amity pouted. "But still, thanks for helping me make this... I just hope that Luz doesn't have some kind of allergy to-" She then noticed that Azaral stopped, and was squinting as she looked around. "What's going on?"</p><p>"I hear somethin'... somethin' like the roar of a storm but there's nary a cloud in the sky, and the wind is calm," Azaral noted. "Though to answer your question I haven't the foggiest what's goin' on."</p><p>"But I don't hear anything," Amity noted, though as time passed and they got within sight of the Owl House. She heard a faint whine. "Okay, that is definitely something." Then a strange object flew over them. Letting out a roar.</p><p>"Okay! That is definitely what I heard from before!" Azaral said in shock.</p><p>"What the heck is that?!" Amity asked as the object landed in front of the Owl House. Azaral then took her into some nearby bushes. "Hey be careful with the supplies!"</p><p>Azaral took out a telescope and looked through it in the direction of the Owl House. Out of the craft exited Luz and Aeden. "Well how about that. Luz had a new friend... with a silver arm." Azaral noted. "And looks like a nicer version of K'raca the Kinslayer."</p><p>Amity squinted. "She... was with a boy?!" She said in surprise.</p><p>Azaral rolled her eyes at the young girl's anxiety. "Calm yourself little Kestral. We know nothing of this one save what he looks like... and Luz has just finished kissing the ground. Now she's talking with that boy... apparently, his name is 'Aeden', I could be reading her lips wrong." Azaral narrated. She then saw B'laas and Imp exit the ship. "Okay... either I'm seeing things or there accompanied by some manner of Drake and a Penguin."</p><p>"Drakes are extinct," Amity stated matter-of-factly. "And aren't Penguins those weird bird things from the Human Realm Luz told us about?"</p><p>"Yes... though I'm fairly certain they ain't supposed to have four flippers." Azaral said.</p><p>"Well, can you tell what they're saying?" Amity asked.</p><p>"Lass, one of them doesn't have lips, and the other I have no frame of reference on how to read! Even I have my limits!" Azaral said, there was then a rustling behind them two of them. "Luz, keep quiet we're spying on Luz!" Azaral said, not even registering what was going on until she said it out loud. "Amity... would it be a bother to ask you if there was a problem with that sentence I just spoke?"</p><p>Amity looked behind her and saw what looked like Luz, but this was wearing some kind of skintight suit and had glowing red eyes. "That's not Luz..." Then this doppelganger turned its arms into plasma cannons. "THAT'S NOT LUZ!"</p><p>This drew the attention of everyone who was already at the Owl House. "Wait, was that Amity?" Luz asked. This was quickly answered by Amity running from the bushes while Azaral tried to strangle the robotic Luz in her coils. In the chaos Amity tripped, causing the pie to fly into Luz's face. "Yep... that was you. Though the pie is a new touch." Luz said.</p><p>"Luz I am so sorry! But there's-"</p><p>"A robot duplicate of me running around? Yeah, we've met." Luz said, blissfully ignoring as Azaral wrestled with the robotic Luz and the pie that was on her face. "And this is Aeden, we knew each other WAY back. And now he's traveling around our galaxy with these two, B'laas and Imp." She said gesturing to the two aliens.</p><p>"So... your not mad about the pie? I mean the Manticore Incident-"</p><p>"Isn't as important as stopping that abomination from killing Luz." Aeden interrupted as he changed his cybernetic arm into a crossbow, and fired a bolt at the head of the robotic Luz.</p><p>"I... I am deeply baffled by what is going on here." Amity said breathlessly.</p><p>"Welcome to a day in the life kid," B'laas said as the draconic alien charged to engage the robotic Luz. Roaring as he sunk his blade into the robot. Followed by Azaral being thrown off.</p><p>"Weww, I've been a bum thwoughout the weekend." Imp then pressed a button, which summoned a robotic suit that she climbed into. "Wets wock!" She then joined in the melee.</p><p>Then the front door was opened. "What is all that racket?!" Eda demanded, she then saw the melee going on outside between Aeden, Imp, B'laas, and the robot Luz. "Ah... so after all these years he's finally come back." She said sardonically.</p><p>"You okay Azaral?" Luz asked of the N'ga.</p><p>"I... I can barely feel my tail. It... feels like every muscle in my body is pulled at once." Azaral said in pain, she then transformed into a form more closely resembling the elf-like inhabitants of the Boiling Isles. "That... that feels better, but not by much."</p><p>"So King was telling the truth when he said you vanished into thin air," Eda said to Luz. "I definitely owe that fuzzball an apology."</p><p>"What did you do this time?" Luz said as she glared at her mentor. Then King exited the house wearing a bunny costume.</p><p>"I hate everything about this." King groused. Luz, Amity, and Azaral collectively squealed with delight. "No... not the unholy harbinger of doom!" Amity then took out of her scroll, and the three girls took a selfie with the bunny clad demon. "Nooooo!" King said.</p><p>"Are you seriously doing that now?!" Aeden yelled as he hammed the robo-Luz with a hammer.</p><p>"I know right! There's an awesome fight going on, and your more interested in the bunny costume!" King said to the teenage girls. "Shame... shame... shame. Shame on all of you!"</p><p>The battle progressed as Imp shot off the robo-Luz's legs. B'laas crippled its arms. And finally, Aeden tore off its head. "Now... now imagine fighting over a dozen of these things at once." He then carelessly threw the severed head at the girls.</p><p>Luz caught it and yelped in surprise, throwing it at Azaral. "Hot potato!" Azaral then threw the head at Amity, who screamed in abject terror at holding a likeness of Luz's head and fainted.</p><p>Eda then took the head. "Hmm, it's a good likeness I'll give you that. Though I'm pretty sure humans don't have wires coming out of them like that." She then threw the head aside. "And you've held severed heads before."</p><p>"Not ones that looked like mine!" Luz protested.</p><p>Then, B'laas stood in front of Eda. "Edalyn Clawthrone..."</p><p>"Bellatorius B'laas." Eda answered. "It's been years."</p><p>"At least twenty-five by my reckoning... though I haven't trusted myself to keep track of time with all the myriad head injuries," B'laas said.</p><p>"Smart move... and you've taken in a Human yourself," Eda noted as Aeden lay in the grass, breathing heavily. "Is he okay there?"</p><p>"It was either that or leave a job empty-handed. And he's fine, he just does that whenever he's overwhelmed, or whenever his leg muscles cramp." B'laas said. "You... you still have that curse?"</p><p>"Technically, turns out Lilith was the one who cursed me in the first place," Eda said.</p><p>"Yeesh, and I complain about my family being messed up," B'laas said. "I don't suppose she's around."</p><p>"No... in that she's not in the house, she went into town for a grocery run right now," Eda said. "She actually took part of the curse on herself... it means we can't use magic anymore but we're getting by."</p><p>B'laas snorted. "Then I really need to talk with Gornakis more."</p><p>"And would I be right in assuming you gave Luz an entertaining weekend?" Eda asked.</p><p>"Who?" B'laas then looked as Luz and Azaral tried to restore Amity to consciousness. "Right, the girl. Well yes... if you want to count running into Atrium the Defiant as 'entertaining'."</p><p>"I kicked a space gorilla in the throat!" Luz said excitedly.</p><p>"Hah! That old space pirate is still kicking?" Eda said with a laugh.</p><p>"Only in the sense that he's still alive. He was in a hoverchair connected to at least three different life support devices." B'laas said.</p><p>"And you still got that old clunker of space ship don't you?" Eda asked.</p><p>"No, in fact, thanks to young Aeden we stumbled on a windfall. We not only got a new ship... but it's a Dreadnaught." B'laas said.</p><p>"Shut. Up." Eda said in disbelief. "Is it a Thana'taron-class?"</p><p>"The very same kind you wanted to board and capture at the Battle of the Trinary... and self-destructed before I could voice my opinion," B'laas explained.</p><p>Luz's ears perked up at this. "Wait... Eda you've been to space?" She said standing up. "Why didn't you say that before?"</p><p>"And let me answer that question, with another question," Eda said. "When would that have ever come up naturally in conversation? And, would you have even believed that even with all the magic around here?"</p><p>Luz tried to think of an answer. "Fair enough... I really should ask you more personal questions."</p><p>"Don't bet on any straight answers if you do," Eda said. "And that enchantment I put on your sword, that still working?"</p><p>"Hasn't dulled in the least, and it still holds elemental power," B'laas said as he showed the sword in question.</p><p>Meanwhile, Imp was tending to the exhausted Aeden. "What... what are they talking about?" Aeden asked.</p><p>"Bowing stuff you wouldn't be intewested in," Imp said as she got Aeden to sit up. "They used to date, vewy wong stowy."</p><p>"Then how come I didn't know?" King asked, joining in with Aeden and Imp. "I couldn't stand another minute of being ignored by someone. Pay attention to me!"</p><p>"Is the fuzzy one cwanky?" Imp said condescendingly.</p><p>"Your darn right I am! I am the King of Demons! I demand attention! KNEEL BEFORE MY UNPARRALED CUTENESS!" King ranted.</p><p>Aeden just rolled his eyes. "Imp, get out of your mech suit."</p><p>"Eh, it's getting humid in hew anyway." Imp then opened the hatch.</p><p>"You dare presume that someone is cuter than ME!?" King ranted. "I'd feast on your entrails and devour your soul if that weren't so absurd!" He then started laughing as Imp climbed out of her mech.</p><p>"I am the captain of the Exiwed One. Vetewen of the Fouwth Cowsaiw Waw. Hewo of the Vawar'nia Sub-Sector." Imp said. "And what of you?"</p><p>"Heh... all impressive words that are neither real nor pronounced correctly." King then took one look at Imp, and all pretense of his arrogance was replaced by. "You. Pretty. Lady... fluffy. Soft. Not hate." He then started giggling in his smitten state.</p><p>"Well... that's unexpected," Aeden noted.</p><p>"Agweed, I never figure which ones pwefew biwds." Imp said nonchalantly. "Awthough usually thewe eyes don't turn into heawts." She noted, as indeed King's pupils had turned pink cartoonish hearts. "Meh, if he is a weaw demon that's pwobabwy nowmaw."</p><p>It was then that Lilith, Eda's estranged sister, and former leader of the Emperor's Coven arrived on the scene with her arms full of groceries. "Hey, Lily! You wouldn't believe who stopped by!" Eda said as she hugged B'laas around the neck.</p><p>Lilith looked bewildered by what she was seeing. "Would context actually help me understand what's going on here? Or would things actually make LESS sense?"</p><p>"A mix of both, I suspect," B'laas said. "As, to my knowledge Edalyn has never spoken of me, or her adventures with me when we were dating."</p><p>"That would explain that one time... nevermind," Lilith said under her breath. "I'll just put the groceries away. Please clean up the front yard and Azaral." She said looking at the N'ga teenager. "Could you take Amity home?"</p><p>"Will do." Azaral then threw the still unconscious Amity over her shoulders. "And Luz, you've still got pie all over your face."</p><p>Luz scooped off the pie and ate it. Followed by a rash growing on her arms. "Azaral? What was in that pie?"</p><p>"Well, she was insistent on there being no dairy," Azaral said. "So that's definitely the rash-hide berries. Delicious, but-"</p><p>"Stop talking! Aeden! There's ointment in the bathroom!" Luz said as she dragged Aeden into the house.</p><p>Amity then snorted as she finally woke up. "What happened? I had this weird dream where Luz literally lost-"</p><p>"Well, the pie was delivered. Though Luz wasn't thrilled when the rash spread." Azaral said.</p><p>"Why do rash-hide berries even exist? And why do rash-hide berry pies even exist?" Amity groused, she then registered what exactly was going on. "Wait, what happened?"</p><p>"The grown-ups chatted a spell. That little fuzzball developed a crush on that penguin creature, more than certain it's one-sided. That robot thing-a-me was destroyed. As for the pie, you went through every other kind of berry that didn't cause a skin infection while trying to make that pie." Azaral said. "And before you even ask, Luz is currently having that rash tended to by that strapping young man with the silver arm." Amity's face turned completely red. "We can talk about it when we get back home. The point is, she got the pie. We met some people we didn't expect to meet, and we almost got killed but the pastry was delivered."</p><p>"Can you at least let me walk the rest of the way?" Amity asked hoarsely.</p><p>"Love to, won't," Azaral said with a cheeky smile on her face.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   "Are you sure you still want to come?" Luz said Monday morning to Aeden, as she stood with him on the outskirts of Hexside. "I know you've been to outer space... heck I've been to space. But the point is as crazy as things are out there. Hexside can be a bit... chaotic. Even on relatively calm days."</p><p>   "Luz, I've been in warzones," Aeden said earnestly to the anxious young witch. "I think I can handle a school of witchcraft."</p><p>   "Just be careful, things can still get pretty hectic around here," Luz said. "Especially Boscha... all you need to know about her is that she's a bully. Absolutely unhinged and bloodthirsty... even for the Boiling Isles."</p><p>   "Luz, you saw me punch out all of the teeth of a seven-foot-tall gorilla in power armor with my good arm. I think I can handle one teenager with a bad attitude." Aeden said.</p><p>   "She also tried to kill me with a fireball for the fun of it, and she hates Humans for no apparent reason," Luz said bluntly.</p><p>   "Oh... she did?" Aeden said as his robotic arm briefly flashed red.</p><p>   "Aeden, are we going to be okay?" Luz asked.</p><p>   "It's just something that flares up when I get mad... though after what happened on The Hive I don't blame you for being concerned," Aeden said, now looking anxious. "Let's get going... and if we do meet this 'Borscht' girl. Remind me to knock out her teeth."</p><p>   "I'd prefer that you didn't," Luz said as the two teenagers went up to Hexside. "And it's actually Boscha." When they went inside, they were quickly greeted by Luz's friends, Gus and Willow who hugged her. "It's good to see you too guys."</p><p>   "Sorry, we just didn't hear from you all weekend," Willow said with concern. She then noticed Aeden. "What the?!- Luz there's-"</p><p>   "Yes... he's a human, like me." Luz said.</p><p>   "Names Aeden, Aeden Airgid." Aeden introduced. "Luz has told me about the both of you over the weekend. You must be Willow, and he's Gus right?" He said as Gus marveled at his reflection in Aeden's arm.</p><p>   "Do... do Humans have these?" Gus asked in amazement.</p><p>   "Not like this no," Aeden said.</p><p>   "So a bit of context. I met him when we were about five, but he moved away. Then at about the same time, I arrived here in the Boiling Isles. This guy was brought onboard an alien space ship, and went on his own adventures with them." Luz summarized.<br/>   Willow and Gus just stared blankly. "All I really know is that this guy has a metal arm, and is a childhood friend of yours."</p><p>   "Well, it might be a bit tricky to explain." Aeden then noticed Amity, Azaral, and two other boys. "Hey, it's that Amity girl from yesterday, and that snake girl that I don't think I got the name of."</p><p>   "That's Azaral, and those are her brothers. Ok'uuz and G'naa." Gus said. "There exchange students from the mainland, and N'ga... though I don't know how they can change shape. I mean they're not in the Illusion Track. Heck, N'gas can't even use magic. So how do they do that?"</p><p>   "Have you ever asked them?" Aeden asked.</p><p>   "Are you kidding me?" Gus said in surprise. "I mean... there not that easy to talk to. And Azaral... how do you approach such a vision of ethereal beauty?" He said dreamily.</p><p>   "Then I have a plan B." Aeden then hastily wrote a note.</p><p>   "Well, I could tell you, I learned how she does that during the Manticore Incident... but she made me promise not tell anyone- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Luz said in surprise as Aeden taped the note to Gus's head. "I thought we talked about doing that?"</p><p>   "Not to literally use people as messages I know," Aeden said as he took the message off of Gus's forehead.</p><p>   Then Amity and Azaral and her brothers came up to them. "Hello! You must be new person with arm like silver!" O'kuz said with broken English.</p><p>   "Is true what sister Azaral said! Arm is color of pure silver!" G'naa added as he looked at Aeden's arm.</p><p>   "Hey, no crowding!" Aeden said.</p><p>   "So... you've recovered from your rash," Amity said nervously to Luz. "I'm sorry, we just spent so many failed attempts to make that pie that all we had left were-"</p><p>   "It's alright Amity," Luz said reassuringly. "You wanted to give me something after a terrible day of trying to keep a step ahead of a scorpion/lion/bat creature. And you wanted to make something for me to enjoy... although I didn't appreciate the rash I got."</p><p>   "And let me tell you... it took the rest of the day just to get that rash off." Aeden said. "We ran out of cream. So I... had to help Luz take a sponge bath.</p><p>   Amity's cheeks blushed a bright red. "Yeah, of course, Mr. Scholar here did some research on how to get rid of the rash." Luz teased.</p><p>   "It was either reading through medical books or spend an entire afternoon experimenting with trial and error to figure it out," Aeden said. "It still took a long time to scrub off the layer of blistered skin-"</p><p>   The bell then screamed. "Well, we need to get to class," Luz said as she led Aeden to her first class of the day.</p><p>   Amity still looked mortified. "Brothers, would you fetch us a bucket... and please fill it with water this time?" Azaral said to O'kuz and G'naa.</p><p>XXXX</p><p>   Meanwhile, Eda brought B'laas along on her rounds across Bonesburrow. "-so without the key to the Human Realm-"</p><p>   "Earth." B'laas corrected. His cloak obscuring his appearance to the selectively xenophobic eyes of the Boiling Isles inhabitants.</p><p>   Eda rolled her eyes. "Whatever, so without that, I can't keep my stall of Human stuff open. Because I can't have Owlbert go through to take anything that Humans have neglected. So I'm back to just making potions, and delivering them." She explained. "A plus here is that I can get you to test my merchandise."</p><p>   "Then you've forgotten what happened the last time I tested your potions?" B'laas said. "It took ten years just to remove that growth... blasted thing was like chipping away at neutronium." He then heard a noise. "Eda... did you hear something?"</p><p>   "Just the sounds of the city you big lug." Eda dismissed.</p><p>   As the two went on, B'laas grew more agitated as he heard more noises. Like someone scampering across rooftops. Not helped when he started to smell something familiar. "I'm telling you, Eda. Someone or something is following us."</p><p>   "Easy there big guy," Eda said reassuringly. "I am... or rather I was the most powerful Witch in the Boiling Isles. And your a great big D'rac-D'ent warrior. Frankly, I'd be more worried about their well being than ours." She said confidently.</p><p>   "And the last time I was that cocky... well I all ready told you that sad tale," B'laas said.</p><p>   Before Eda could say another word. She got a clear look at who was tailing them. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."</p><p>   "I know, I know. I should have let go of that by now." B'laas said, missing Eda's point. "But that dishonor still stings... have you ever seen what disappointment looks like on a Human face? When Aeden learned-" Eda then threw a potion, it exploded sending the stalker flying off the roof. "Oh... yeah, I'm honestly embarrassed that I didn't see- wait?" He approached the stalker.</p><p>   "Pretty sure those are your clan's colors," Eda said as she poked the armor-clad D'rac-D'ent with her staff.</p><p>   B'laas growled as he tore off the helmet, underneath was a blue colored D'rac-D'ent. "Confound it all Da-Nasha!"</p><p>   The D'rac-D'ent in question looked sheepish. "Hi... big brother," Da-Nasha said with a fake smile. "Your... probably wondering what I'm doing here-"</p><p>   "I don't need to wonder little sister," B'laas growled in annoyance. "If you here, then Gornakis is here as well. And Da-Nasha... I know EXACTLY why he would journey to a Forbidden World like Titans Grave."</p><p>   "And once again, I get dragged into someone else's family drama." Eda groaned in annoyance. "And this day started so well."</p><p>   "Calm yourself Edalyn. Gornakis would sooner glass this world as soon as walk on it again." B'laas was quickly proven wrong when a sand-colored D'rac-D'ent walked around the corner.</p><p>   "On a normal day, yes... but seeing as your breaking your oath to only return to this benighted world save for dire circumstances," Gornakis said.</p><p>   "It was dire circumstances. My apprentice was taken on that Aeden kid's horse, got stranded on their ship." Eda said sternly.</p><p>   Gornakis snorted. "You... you broke an oath just to deliver a child?"</p><p>   "I broke nothing by coming back here!" B'laas growled. "And shouldn't you be in some distant sector far away from here?"</p><p>   "True... but when father informed me that the Exiled One was traveling in this general direction Titans Grave. I needed to be the one to find out why." Gornakis explained.</p><p>   B'laas just rolled his eyes. "I am going to stay here for three days with my squire. After that, I will leave Titans Grave behind."</p><p>   "Yeah, I'm going to actually need context this time," Eda said. "I mean I know you guys are wary about this world. But even after helping you guys in that war, AND nursing your big brother back to health. I still haven't gotten a straight answer about any of this."</p><p>   "And what makes you so special to know? To break the Geis of N'hornia-Ifal?" Gornakis was then whacked across the face by Eda's staff. "OW!"</p><p>   "Buddy, in the last month I've taken in a Human as an apprentice. Learned that my own sister cursed me. And barely survived being turned to stone by Belos." Eda said. "So spare me the spiel about how I'm not worthy to know anything just because I'm from a civilization that hasn't figured out how to go faster than light."</p><p>   Gornakis nursed his face. "A funny thing about that... this civilization WAS space faring."</p><p>   "Excuse me?" Eda said in surprise.</p><p>   "Yeah... that's a bit more complicated than what can be discussed in a short conversation," B'laas said with a guilty tone. "I would have told you before... but, well oaths and what-not."</p><p>XXXX</p><p>   Meanwhile back at the Owl House itself. King and Imp found a peculiar guest inside of the house. "What is the meaning of this intrusion?" King demanded.</p><p>   "HOW DID YOU GET IN?! I WOULD HAVE NOTICED?! HOOT! PANICKED HOOT!" Hooty shouted.</p><p>   "No... anyone but you! Witterawy, anyone ewse but you!" Imp said, recognizing the guest.</p><p>   The guest in question was a wizened penguin. Not unlike Imp herself, but obviously much, much older. "Hmm," she huffed. "Not even from my own kin do I get a warm welcome? Can't I leave Ani'urp without folks screaming there heads off at the site of me?" The elderly alien penguin huffed. "Well, if you don't want to know what's what from Elen'arius the Ancient. I'll leg it back to the Council of Matriarchs. No doubt to chew me out for leaving on my own-"</p><p>   "Wait!" King interrupted. "I want to know about these weird alien things."</p><p>   "So would I. I'd also like to know why people keep beating me up. Hoot, hoot." Hooty said.</p><p>   "Well... if you wish." Elen'arius said, she then pulled out a large book. "Long ago. A race known as the K'vas rose from their homeworld. They did this by harnessing the power of the Empyrean." Elen'arius's book showed holographic representations of the elf-like K'vas</p><p>   "And that is?" King asked.</p><p>   "It's a sowt of othewworld that's... going to take at weast another hour to fuwwy explain," Imp said, rolling her eyes.</p><p>   "By this way, they managed to travel to other worlds. Beyond their own, for many thousands of years, they expanded across hundreds of planets. In turn, coming across dozens of other civilizations and species." The book then showed K'vas meeting with other species. "Sometimes with an open hand," Elen'arius narrated, with a K'vas shaking hands with an alien. "Sometimes with fire and steel." And then the book showed a K'vas firing a spell.</p><p>   "Yeah... that sounds about right to me," King noted.</p><p>   "Eventually, the K'vas discovered Ani'urp. Offered my people knowledge of magic and technology beyond anything we had previously known." The book then showed a K'vas shaking hands with Elen'arius herself.</p><p>   "Wait... how old are you?" King's question was followed by a slap to the face.</p><p>   "It's rude to ask a woman her age!... or guess it for that matter." Elen'arius admonished. "As time went on, my people. The Penagarii grew weary of K'vas rule, so... we did the unthinkable."</p><p>   "Wouldn't that by definition be thinkable?" King asked.</p><p>   "We. Rebelled." Elen'arius said. "We broke off the chains of K'vas rule and went to war for our freedom. It took decades of bloody conflict, but we won our freedom. In turn, we inspired others to rise against the K'vas." Elen'arius said as the book showed images of the war. "Some also won their freedom, others were crushed as easily as one would crush a blade of grass beneath your feet."</p><p>   "And everything was okay forever?" King asked.</p><p>   "Nope, not in the slightest," Elen'arius said bluntly. "For you see, the usage of the Empyrean drew the intentions of those who lived within it. And some of them were drawn out... the Titans."</p><p>   "Wait, wait, wait," King said in disbelief. "Titans?... as in like the Titan?"</p><p>   "The corpse you've been living on? Yes. Same kind of beastie." Elen'arius said. "At first they were just curious, interested in our galaxy... but things turned south fast when their curiosity started to bring ruin upon our worlds. Driving people to madness, and despair, and causing horrific and bizarre mutations."</p><p>   "So they were like that social media thing Luz showed me?" King asked.</p><p>   "Almost identical." Elen'arius agreed. "At any rate, shortly after this happened en mass. I led what remained of civilization against the Titans. At first, it went rather well, driving off and even killing a few of the extra-dimensional beings... then things went awry, with the creation of the D'rac-D'ent." The book then showed an image of a D'rac-D'ent warrior.</p><p>   "Those guys look familiar," King noted.</p><p>   "That's because B'waas is a D'wac-D'ent." Imp said as she rolled her eyes.</p><p>   "Aye, they were created to be the ultimate warriors. Mindlessly obedient to their creators, and for a time even I thought that we were doomed. That was however before I gave the D'rac-D'ent a special gift... one that turned the tide of the war." Elen'arius said as the book showed her using some kind of magic on a D'rac-D'ent. "I gave them sentience, intelligence, true life. Are any of these words ringing a bell?"</p><p>   "So... you made them NOT want to kill everyone." King surmised.</p><p>   "Basically, yes. That was the Doom of the Titans. The Titans either fled back to the Empyrean or were slaughtered." Elen'arius explained. "Most of the corpses were dumped here, cause no matter what we tried we couldn't completely destroy the corpses." She then showed diagrams of some of the more noteworthy Titans.</p><p>   King then took a notice of a Titan that looked Human. But had silver-colored skin. "Wait... where have I seen him before?"</p><p>XXXX</p><p>   "So in a nutshell, pretty much everyone on the Boiling Isles is descended from these K'vas people," Eda said.</p><p>   "Yes... and the colony ship that bore your forbearers to this world, crashed. Stranding them here with no way to learn of their heritage or the greater wonders of creation." B'laas said.</p><p>   "And that's deep underneath the Emperor's Castle right?" Eda asked.</p><p>   "Near as we've been able to figure," B'laas said.</p><p>   "And the biles sacs that Witchs draw their magic from? That a mutation from the Titan?" Eda asked.</p><p>   "Pretty much, as well as the ridiculous amount of mutated subspecies that inhabit this corpse," B'laas said.</p><p>   Gornakis was still nursing his face from where Eda struck him. "I've shrugged off plasma grenades in the same place! How is this still hurting?!"</p><p>   "Think Belos knows about that?" Eda asked.</p><p>   "He's been going on about how he speaks with the Titan. He may be a construct of the Titan... or even it's Avatar." B'laas said.</p><p>   Eda just groaned. "My head hurts. I'm just happy that we got my rounds done before lunch."</p><p>   "Agreed," B'laas said. "As much as I hate Boiling Isle cuisine it's better than a roaring stomach."</p><p>XXXX</p><p>   "So... you're doing okay?" Luz asked of Aeden.</p><p>   "Yeah... yeah, it's just kinda overwhelming with so many people here," Aeden admitted. "I-I mean at every class you brought me to. Students were just... pawing at my arm and asking one question after another."</p><p>   "I'm sorry I put you through that." Luz apologized. "I mean even Gus wasn't as handsy when we first met. And he's obsessed with Humans!"</p><p>   A thought then went through Aeden's head. "Do... do you think they know?"</p><p>   "That your robot arm is actually a fragment of a Titan in much the same way that the Boiling Isles is really the highest point of a massive Titan graveyard which is the reason why most people in the galaxy calls this planet Titans Grave?" Luz quickly summarized.</p><p>   "Basically... and of course people on this corpse worship the benighted thing," Aeden said. "And you've told me enough about Belos to know that he'd probably be interested in having a part of Ferrus for his own ends."</p><p>   "Yeah... and more and more it sounds like bringing you here was a bad idea," Luz said. "I mean I'd trust my friends with any secret. But that's a bombshell that'd get out no matter how hard they'd try." Luz then realized something. She then looked around outside of the room they were in. "Oh, thank goodness we're alone." She said as she closed the door.</p><p>   Hiding behind it was Amity Blight. She had heard everything that Luz and Aeden were talking about. "Oh... oh that can't be good." She said to herself, she then backed up in a panic.</p><p>   "Be careful there kestral." Azaral said as Amity bumped into her. "What's the matter? Luz and Aeden kissin'?" She teased.</p><p>   "What?! No!..." Amity said with shock. "I... I just learned something I wasn't supposed to hear."</p><p>   "Was it tender words?" Azaral teased. "Declarations of-"</p><p>   "I'm serious! And what they were talking about had nothing to with-" Amity then took a deep breath. "Look... Luz and Aeden were talking about his arm. That was it... and some other things I didn't fully understand."</p><p>   "Then why are you so spooked?" Azaral asked.</p><p>   "The implication... that is what has me worried. I'd tell you but. It sounded far too serious to talk about out loud." Amity said.</p><p>   "Well, there's a loophole to that." Azaral then turned into her true N'ga form. "Now, I need to ask-"</p><p>   "Just do it," Amity said, baring her neck for the N'ga.</p><p>   A pair of fangs appeared in Azarals mouth, and Azaral dug them into Amity's neck. The N'ga girl drew a measure of blood from the wound. "Hmm... that is interesting," Azaral noted, as she had absorbed Amity's short term memories.</p><p>   "What happenws?" Amity asked. "Why did I ask you to-"</p><p>   "Trust that you had a good reason. Also, I did tell you it was rude to eavesdrop." Azaral said as she transformed into her disguise. "But what you learned, and wanted to forget... that requires investigation me-thinks." She then pulled out a book, wrote down what Luz and Aeden spoke about regarding his arm, and quickly put it away.</p><p>   "So... now what?" Amity asked "I still don't know-"</p><p>   "Oh for Serpines sake! Just let it happen in its own time girl!" Azaral said in annoyance. "I understand this matter is important to you. But you need to CALM DOWN... trust me on this. You need to be patient with this sort of thing."</p><p>XXXX</p><p>   At the end of the day, everyone was exhausted. "So, how was school?" Eda asked of Luz.</p><p>   "Exhausting, everyone kept trying to touch Aeden, he panicked... we talked about some things," Luz explained.</p><p>   "Aeden my boy... did you get angry?" B'laas asked with concern to the young albino cyborg.</p><p>   "No, I was just overwhelmed is all," Aeden said as he hugged the D'rac-D'ent warrior.</p><p>   "Anyone going address that the kid's robot arm is a fragment of a dead god?" King spoke up.</p><p>   B'laas grabbed King by the neck. "WHO TOLD YOU WHELPLING?!" B'laas roared. "Imp did you-"</p><p>   "No. T'was me," Elen'arius spoke up. "I told him everything. But seeing him try and fail to ask-"</p><p>   "Point is, he didn't heaw it fwom me." Imp said indignantly. "And if any of you speak a wowd about the Awm of Fewwus... thewe's no tewwing what could happen."</p><p>XXXX</p><p>   In orbit, Gornakis was aboard his warship along with his younger sisters. Six in total including Da-Nasha. He then activated a hologram of a much older and battle-worn D'rac D'ent. "My son, what do you have to report?"</p><p>   "B'laas has indeed returned to the Lost K'vas colony of the Boiling Isles," Gornakis said. "Apparently his Squire picked up a Human girl by accident during that ordeal where they tried to raid an abandoned K'vas depot."</p><p>   "I see." Gornakis's father said. "I suspect that B'laas and the rest of the crew of the Exiled One will be staying there per their custom of remaining on a planet for three days?"</p><p>   "Yes, Clan-Father," Gornakis said. "Completly ignoring the danger that being near even dead Titans can bring. And I swear if I have to scrape anything off of him again-"</p><p>   "Gornakis, enough." The elder D'rac-D'ent interrupted. "I know you resent having to keep your brother's actions from leading to greater disasters. But please... don't focus on B'laas' shortcomings."</p><p>   Gornakis only growled in frustration. "What else would you ask of me?"</p><p>   "I recall B'laas' reports of the Boiling Isles colony. Specifically, references to an entity known as 'Emperor Belos'." The Clan-Father said.</p><p>   "Yes... I've heard of him." Gornakis said. "Belos is apparently the ruler of the Boiling Isles, claiming divine authority from the Titan's corpse. Controls the mutated K'vas through covens, I know little else beyond that beyond what B'laas speculated."</p><p>   "Is he an Avatar?" The Clan-Father asked.</p><p>   "Perhaps, or just some sort of aberration... like the rest of Titans Grave. A feted wasteland only worth acknowledging for the sake of avoiding it." Gornakis said.</p><p>   "Regardless of what Belos is, we cannot ignore the greater threat he could pose to the rest of the galaxy. If he is an Avatar, and he gets off of Titans Grave, no matter how much time from now that happens. There's no telling the havoc he and his followers could spread in the name of a false god." The Clan-Father went on.</p><p>   "I'll do what I can," Gornakis said. "But if he is an Avatar for certain. We're going to need more than just one battleship and a handful of warriors to take him down."</p><p>   "I will notify the Triumvirate of this development... and in the meantime, I will speak with our Clan-Kin, get aid from them if the Triumvirate drags its feet." The Clan-Father said.</p><p>   "Understood, with any luck we'll not incite the indigenous peoples into a panic," Gronakis said.</p><p>XXXX</p><p>   At the Blight Mansion. Azaral was alone in her true form of a N'ga. She took out a mirror and spoke some manner of magical incantation. "You've reached the office of his Majesty, Emperor Ia'oz-Hamal Luu-Khuuk'hed, the Blind King, the King who Rose from Ash, the Ever Defiant son of the Uniter-"</p><p>   "I know my father's titles and epithets," Azaral said crossly. "I need to speak to him. Now." Eventually, her father did answer. He was a much older N'ga, his face covered with scars, his scales faded, and indeed his eyes were covered by a blindfold. "Father... it is wonderful to see you."</p><p>   "And it is wonderful to hear from you my little Azaral." Ia'oz-Hamal said fondly.</p><p>   "Father... I've learned of things that might interest you," Azaral said as she shared what she learned from drinking Amity's blood. And of the things, she learned regarding Aeden and the crew of the Exiled One. "Papa... I know how outlandish this all sounds. But I've seen-"</p><p>   "Then that is all the proof I need my little snapdragon," Ia'oz-Hamal said. "If there are indeed beings out there... they might be the only hope we'll have of rebuilding my father's dream... the Dream of Earnest Peace."</p><p>   "Perhaps... but we can't tell more people than necessary about this. Nobody else but the Warmaster and his most trusted War Cheifs should be told anything about this. Not even mother can be kept in the loop." Azaral said.</p><p>   "I'd argue, but she's incapable of keeping a secret. If she knew, not only would the Empire descend into chaos with the knowledge of alien life. But eventually, Belos would learn of it, we cannot risk that." Ia'oz-Hamal said.</p><p>   "What would you have them do?" Azaral asked.</p><p>   "Calm yourself... I intend to make Belos pay for the Scouring of Ist'avan. My revenge will begin and end with that... abomination." Ia'oz-Hamal said with contempt. "If your worried about the friends you've made, you have my word at least that I personally won't bring them to harm." He said this did little to give peace of mind to Azaral. "Look... if anyone does bring harm to them. You have my word I'll bring however does such a thing to task for making me an oathbreaker by proxy."</p><p>   "Even the Warmaster?" Azaral asked.</p><p>   "Especially if it's Ur'Thraka. Just get some sleep, my dear. I love you." Iz'oz-Hamal said.</p><p>   "I love you more daddy," Azaral said and the magical call ended.</p>
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